What DISH Network Looks for in New Hires

When it’s time to watch TV, 14 million households fire up their DISH. Englewood, Colo., DISH Network depends on cutting-edge technology to deliver entertainment services, including 200-plus channels of HDTV. It also offers a service to give its customers the ability to watch TV programs on compatible PCs, smartphones or tablets.

The company’s history of technological innovation has helped land it the 88th spot on InformationWeek’s most recent list of Top 500 Innovators.

“We are growing and have needs across the board from entry level to manager,” says Corporate Recruiting Manager Kerry Tate. “Some of the skill sets we’re looking for include Java, .NET, data warehouse, Oracle ERP and QA testing.”

But don’t come knocking until you understand PAW: Pride, Adventure and Winning, DISH’s core cultural values. As the company explains it, “When you have pride in your work, you don’t just set standards, you exceed them. Pride is the attitude that separates excellence from mediocrity. Adventure is the willingness to take the road less traveled with skills and confidence that you’ll overcome any obstacles along the way. Winning is what happens when you match a competitive spirit with discipline and vision.”

A Need for Achievement

According to Tate, a candidate’s ability to embrace this lofty internal mantra is as important as intelligence or relevant career experience. “We look for candidates with high energy and a strong need for achievement, people who are hard-working and looking for a constantly changing environment at a cutting edge company as successful as ours.”

How should candidates present themselves? It’s always a good idea to do your homework on a potential employer and to be able to communicate how you’ll be an asset to them.

“To create a strong impression, you should come well prepared with a basic understanding of DISH and our industry. The ability to explain your past experiences and articulate how you can contribute to the future success of DISH are ways to make a name for yourself in the interview process,” says Tate.

Like most recruiters, Tate is quick to point out that “Your first impression is created through your resume.” Beware of even slight grammatical errors, objectives that don’t align with available positions, large gaps in your employment history, and laundry lists of technologies that aren’t accompanied by explanations of how you’ve used them to achieve successful projects.

College Grad Advice

Tate is happy to hear from college graduates. “Launching your career at a large company like DISH will provide you the opportunity to gain a variety of experiences and help you determine your niche within IT.”

What she hopes to see in a recent grad’s resume are proof of leadership skills; roles of responsibility through internships, campus activities or community involvement; and relevant classes or experience with the technologies required in your desired position.

For Seasoned Pros

As for seasoned pros who find themselves back in the job market, Tate has this sobering but important reality check: “Understand it is now a mid-level market in terms of career experience, and your previous title or compensation may not directly translate to your new role.”

Images: Dish Network

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Comments

It sounds like Kerry Tate is wish-casting. It is most certainly is not a mid-level market. Dish won’t attract that kind of top talent by kicking them in the shins before they walk in the door. People of that calibur have many more lucrative options than a place that expects to be cut rate in salary and title. Title may not matter internally, but it’s critical to seasoned pros because it offsets the risk of a position that may not work out. I think Dish will be in for a disappointment if this truly reflects their attitude.

I interviewed with this company and be warned: Do not work for DISH / Echostar unless you are desparate and about to loose your mortgage. I guarantee you will not be happy. I personally know several people of have worked there and they hated it. The management is oppressive and there is a constant “big brother is watching you” mentality. Forget about any flexible working arrangements. Employee turnover is extremely high due to dissatisfaction.

I roll my eyes at companies like Dish. They seem to believe IT pro’s are banging their doors down for a position so they create a silly acronym (PAW?) and expect it to be industry dogma. I would never work for such a company. They need to be taken down a few pegs and realize that IT pro’s need to focus on the work and not the silly personality characteristics which do nothing more than invite show-offs and the inexperienced. Dish networks must lack mirrors.